The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-11-19

mon soil no longer.
(D The kingdom of God needs for its
progress and success the secular as well
as the religious activities of men. The
building and furnishing of house of
worship, the support of its services, are
all dependent upon the secular callings
of men. The cause of God is Deepen
dent upon the men who fell the forests,
who work the veins of the hills for ore,
who dig into the bosom of the earth for
coal, who stand at the forge, who drive
the plane, who brandish the paint brush.
These employments render possible our
places of worship; these places the con-
gregations that assemble and the work
that is done. The worshiper of God
may thus feel doubly identified with the
kingdom; his accustomed work directly
contributes to its progress.
(5) There is nothing in one depart
ment that does not affect the other.
The principles of religion will influence
in everyday life, and the incidents of
everyday life will report themselves in
character. The action and reaction are
mutual. Everything that we do, every
stick of timber or bar of iron upon
which we work, every page that we
write in the office, the sale of every art
icle in the store, everything that trans
pires in the house,-no less than our
prayers and our hymns and our readings
of Scripture,-by the influences they
exert upon the mind and the emotions
they awaken in our breasts, everlasting
ly register themselves in the human
soul.
The two parts of life, therefore, the
one looking heavenward, the other
earthward, are substantially united.
They are woven together in one fabric.
They are so intertwined that neither
can be damaged, except the other also
be injured. Let the bolt fall upon the
religious, the secular cannot escape;
let it fall upon the secular, the religious
will be blighted. Both are needed for
the complete development of the human
soul. The aim of man is not to pre-
| pare for heaven, in the old sense, along
a single line. We are to get ready, in
deed, for another life, but that other life
will be but development and enlarge
ment of this; and into the preparation
must enter every element of labor or
pleasure that quickens our growth and
expands our manhood here. Life is a
unit in all its departments on earth;
the life hereafter is one with the pres
emit. The discipline of the carpenters
shop in the life Of Jesus was as neces-
sary as his temptation in the wilder
ness, and the glory of the mountain
upon which he was TRANSPORTED.
III. The essential truth of this SER
mon may be applied in many directions.
~ A recognition of it would prevent
the application to worldly affairs of a
separate code of morals. There is a
strong tendency to make for business
its own set of ten commandments. Let
every man understand that his life is
not divided; that everything he does
has its moral bearings that for every
action he is responsible to God and to
his own soul; and he must see that it
is impossible to lie or cheat or steal to
the glory of God, or to the upbuilding
of his own character. CroOkedness in
business will warp the straightest creed;
the lie of Monday will undo the work
of Sunday; single unkind word or
unjust deed will pull down more Of
your character than a week of devo-
tions will build. God and Mammon
can be no more successfully worshiped
In the same Office or store than they
can be worshiped at the same altar.
~. This view of the matter exalts
and ennobles common life, and lifts our
labor from the level of drudgery to the
sphere of glad and loving service. Ev-
i cry follower of the carpenter of Naza-
reth, humble artizan though he be, is
crowned with glory and honor.
(3). This view of the matter brings
encouragement and hope to many who
need it. There may be some laboring
man here who has had to toll hard all
his life,-whose opportunities have
been few, whose sphere narrow. He
may feel, 81 have not done much for
my Lord have not been able to at
tend many meetings have never said
much for l am but slow of speech; l
have not been able to do or give much.
l fear that when 1 stand before God 1
shall have but sorry record" But, if
you have walked honestly before your
fellow workmen, and commended to
them through your example the beauty
of holiness, you have done something.
More than one, through the light that
has shone from you, may have found
his way to the Fathers house.
There may be some woman here,
whose sphere has been limited to the
household. Many things may have
prevented her taking part in the out
side work of the church, though she
would gladly have done so. She may
feel that she has not accomplished any
thing. But let others speak. Let the